While tourists enjoy the World Cup in brand-new venues and hotels all over Brazil, the nation's poorest residents are struggling — sometimes violently — to survive in enormous shantytowns known as "favelas." A total of 1.7 million Brazilians live in Rio de Janeiro's favelas, many of
which are controlled by drug traffickers and militias.

A recent Pew Research poll found 61 percent of Brazilians believe
hosting the World Cup is bad for Brazil. Many
feel the Cup takes resources away from health care, education and other
badly needed public services.

Photo: Felipe Dana, Associated Press

While tourists enjoy the World Cup in brand-new venues and hotels...

While tourists enjoy the World Cup in brand-new venues and hotels... Photo-6497808.88398 - SFGate

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Soccer is ubiquitous in the favelas, and kids grow up playing a colorful and energetic brand of street soccer. Here, people play in the Tavares Bastos favela in Rio de Janeiro.

Photo: Felipe Dana, Associated Press

Soccer is ubiquitous in the favelas, and kids grow up playing a...

Soccer is ubiquitous in the favelas, and kids grow up playing a... Photo-6497813.88398 - SFGate

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A boy flies a kite in the Mangueira favela which overlooks the famed Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. The Mangueira shantytown was 'pacified' in 2011 and is the home to the city's most famous samba school.

Photo: Mario Tama, Getty Images

A boy flies a kite in the Mangueira favela which overlooks the...

A boy flies a kite in the Mangueira favela which overlooks the... Photo-6498717.88398 - SFGate

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Youngsters play soccer at the Anita Garibaldi favela in Guarulhos, Sao Paulo. The favela's soccer team, Anita Futbol Club, has challenged whoever wins the World Cup to come to their favela to play a match against them. They're hoping to raise awareness for their stark living conditions; the favela doesn't have a water supply and houses are not connected to the electrical grid.

Photo: Miguel Schincariol, AFP/Getty Images

Youngsters play soccer at the Anita Garibaldi favela in Guarulhos,...

Youngsters play soccer at the Anita Garibaldi favela in Guarulhos,... Photo-6497937.88398 - SFGate

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Children in the Anita Garibaldi favela play football next to a wall that reads: "Don't be afraid of living, of running after your dreams. Be afraid of standing still."

Photo: Miguel Schincariol, AFP/Getty Images

Children in the Anita Garibaldi favela play football next to a wall...

Children in the Anita Garibaldi favela play football next to a wall... Photo-6497960.88398 - SFGate

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A young goalkeeper is beaten by a shot during a practice match at Serviluz favela in Fortaleza, Brazil.

Photo: Michael Steele, Getty Images

A young goalkeeper is beaten by a shot during a practice match at...

A young goalkeeper is beaten by a shot during a practice match at... Photo-6497798.88398 - SFGate

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A bird's eye view of the favelas in Salvador, Brazil.

Photo: Wong Maye-E, Associated Press

A bird's eye view of the favelas in Salvador, Brazil.

A bird's eye view of the favelas in Salvador, Brazil. Photo-6497934.88398 - SFGate

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Residents of Favela Moinho play soccer during the "Rebelde Cup." Residents of the favela organized the soccer tournament in protest against the World Cup, claiming that the resources spent on the World Cup tournament would have been better spent in giving them access to potable water, electricity and a drainage sewer system.

Photo: Rodrigo Abd, Associated Press

Residents of Favela Moinho play soccer during the "Rebelde Cup."...

Residents of Favela Moinho play soccer during the "Rebelde... Photo-6497942.88398 - SFGate

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Houses in Favela Moinho are seen after the end of the "Rebelde Cup" in Sao Paulo.

Photo: Rodrigo Abd, Associated Press

Houses in Favela Moinho are seen after the end of the "Rebelde Cup"...

Houses in Favela Moinho are seen after the end of the "Rebelde... Photo-6497954.88398 - SFGate

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Children gather in a makeshift house as residents play a soccer match in Favela Moinho.

Photo: Rodrigo Abd, Associated Press

Children gather in a makeshift house as residents play a soccer...

Children gather in a makeshift house as residents play a soccer... Photo-6497945.88398 - SFGate

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A man walks past the remains of demolished homes in the Metro Mangueira favela, located near Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. The homes were knocked down to supposedly make room for a stadium parking lot. It has yet to be built.

Evictions and demolitions occurred throughout the Rio favelas ahead of the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympic Games in spite of a housing shortage in the city. Rio's housing and urban planning goals include a planned five percent reduction of areas occupied by favelas by 2016. Alternative affordable housing, generally on the peripheries of the city, is unable to meet demand and some residents complain they have not received adequate compensation for their demolished homes.

Photo: Mario Tama, Getty Images

A man walks past the remains of demolished homes in the Metro...

A man walks past the remains of demolished homes in the Metro... Photo-6498721.88398 - SFGate

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Brazilian fans watch a live broadcast of the match between Brazil and Mexico in Rocinha, the largest favela in Rio de Janeiro, on June 17.

Photo: Yasuyoshi Chiba, AFP/Getty Images

Brazilian fans watch a live broadcast of the match between Brazil...

Brazilian fans watch a live broadcast of the match between Brazil... Photo-6497964.88398 - SFGate

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A general view of the Rocinha favela in Rio de Janeiro.

Photo: Yasuyoshi Chiba, AFP/Getty Images

A general view of the Rocinha favela in Rio de Janeiro.

A general view of the Rocinha favela in Rio de Janeiro. Photo-6497933.88398 - SFGate

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A trash fire burns due to the lack of government assistance for sanitation services in the Mangueira favela which overlooks Maracana Stadium.

Photo: Mario Tama, Getty Images

A trash fire burns due to the lack of government assistance for...

A trash fire burns due to the lack of government assistance for... Photo-6498719.88398 - SFGate

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A boy named Kahue peers from the window of his house in Favela Moinho in Sao Paulo.

Photo: Rodrigo Abd, Associated Press

A boy named Kahue peers from the window of his house in Favela...

A boy named Kahue peers from the window of his house in Favela... Photo-6497952.88398 - SFGate

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Young women gather near the soccer field in Favela Moinho in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Photo: Rodrigo Abd, Associated Press

Young women gather near the soccer field in Favela Moinho in Sao...

Young women gather near the soccer field in Favela Moinho in Sao... Photo-6497947.88398 - SFGate

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Two children walk along a street decorated in the Brazilian national colours in Rocinha favela in Rio de Janeiro.

Photo: Yasuyoshi Chiba, AFP/Getty Images

Two children walk along a street decorated in the Brazilian...

Two children walk along a street decorated in the Brazilian... Photo-6497800.88398 - SFGate

People gather to watch Brazil play Mexico on a television set up in a house in the Prazeres favela in Rio de Janeiro.

Photo: Joe Raedle, Getty Images

People gather to watch Brazil play Mexico on a television set up in...

People gather to watch Brazil play Mexico on a television set up in... Photo-6497970.88398 - SFGate

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People gather by a makeshift weight set outside the Capela Nossa Senhora de Fatima church in the Cantagalo favela in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The pacified favela, and neighboring Pavao-Pavaozinho, stand above Copacabana and Ipanema beaches. Around 10,000 people live in Cantagalo and Pavao-Pavaozinho.

Photo: Mario Tama, Getty Images

People gather by a makeshift weight set outside the Capela Nossa...

People gather by a makeshift weight set outside the Capela Nossa... Photo-6192853.88398 - SFGate

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Brazilians install art pieces on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro for an anti-World Cup protest two days before the opening game.